Beyond The Shadows
by MaiaRutledgeFan
Summary: The 4400 are becoming more, and the future wants Maia back.
1. Chapter 1

**Beyond the Shadows**

-This takes place after Season 3, but bear in mind we haven't got S3 here yet so I've only seen snatches in clips that I've come across. So if anything's out of whack, call it artistic license ;)

-Disclaimer: The usual, I really don't own The 4400, or Hannah Montanna. I do own a fansite for Jacqueline McKenzie, who plays Diana. If your interest is caught by this shameless plug, check out http://jacqui(dot)elitefan(dot)net.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm**Prologue: 4401**

Maia was in a room. It was cold, dark. Like the bottom of a well. She reached her hands out on either side, but her fingertips met nothing but air. She felt the floor underneath her, but it didn't feel like a floor. It felt as if she was sitting on a concrete waterbed.

Suddenly the room filled wih smoke. Maia felt uneasiness creeping up her throat.

'Hello? Mommy?'

She wondered if it was a dream, and she tried to wake up. But nothing happened, and when she opened her eys the room was suddenly light, almost blinding. She could begin to make out shapes...there were chairs...and...desks? She blinked a few times, but the images didn't change. It was her classroom.

Maia tried to stand, but couldn't make her body obey.

'Mommy?'

'Maia?'

Maia looked up, hoping to see a friendly face. But all she could make out was a nondescript silhouette. She couln't even tell if it was male or female.

'Maia, we are ready. They are coming'

'Who? Who's coming? Why I am here?' Maia shivered in the empty room.

'We've done it again. 4400 was not enough. So we're doing it again. But with all the new returnees... some will be able to return, and help us from their own time. If you want to go back Maia, you can. We can make it happen.'

The words echoed in Maias head.

'If you want to go back. If you want to go back,'

'Where is my mom?'

The silhouette placed a hand on Maia's shoulder.

'Come. We will leave now.'

'Where are we going!?'

The silhouette pulled Maia to her feet, and another shape appeared in the fog.

'If you want to go back, it has to be now. Before they arrive'

Maia struggled against the shadow, and the seccond shape took hold of her other arm.

Suddenly the walls seemed to move, and numbers lit up on each wall. She watched as the numerals 4400 seemed to quiver, and then proceeded to change to 4401. Slowly gathering speed, the numbers continued to change, faster and faster. 44002, 44003, 44004...

'It's happening...we must move quickly now. Maia, you can go home now.'

She felt her self being moved forcefully along.

'No wait, please! I need my mom. Please, take me to my mom.'

The shadowed figures weren't sure of which Mother she meant, and for a seccond, Maia wasn't sure either. She missed her parents, ached for them, but she had put the ache away into a corner of her heart, and her love for Diana had taken over. To go back, to the way things were...it seemed like an impossible dream. But when she thought about leaving her Mom, April, all the things she knew, her heart seemed fit to burst with despair.

'I can't...I don't think...'

She didn't want to make this decision. Couldn't. Suddenly she was halted infront of a bright light.

'You're here, Maia. This is it, you can go now.'

The shadowed figures began guiding her towards the light, and all of a sudden Maia knew. She knew this wasn't right, wasn't what she wanted. But the shadow was pushing her further and further into the light, and an invisible force appeared to be holding her, preventing her from going back towards the dim classroom, back to...

'No, please, don't do it. I don't want to. Take me back. Please! Mommy! MOMMY'

Diana awoke with a start, suddenly wide awake. She listened, waiting to see what had woken her. Suddenly a scream came from Maia's bedroom, and Diana was down the hall and by her bed within seconds.

'Maia? Maia, wake up!'

Her daughter tossed and turned, sweat coating her forehead.

'Mommy...please...no...I want to stay here... mommy!'

'Maia!'

Diana reached out and tried desperatly to soothe her daughter. She found a place on the bed amongst the disarray of bedclothes, gathered Maia ino her arms and gently shook her awake.

'Maia, sweetie it's okay. I've got you. I'm here.'

Slowly, Maia opened her eyes. I took her a moment to realise where she was. Then she looked up, saw Diana and buried her face in her mother's pyjama top, breathing heavily.

Diana rocked her child back and forh, trying to comfort her.

After a while Diana felt Maia's breathing even out, and she gently rubbed her back.

'Did you have a bad dream?'

Maia shook her head slightly.

'They're gonna take me away from you.'

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Thanks for reading! CH1 up soon. Please R&R (and no, that doesn't stand for rest and relaxation ;p)


	2. Chapter 2

Beyond The Shadows

This takes place after Season 3, but bear in mind we haven't got S3 here yet so I've only seen snatchs in clips that I've come across. So if anything's out of whack, call it artistic license ;)

Disclaimer: The usual, I really don't own The 4400, or Hannah Montanna. I do own a fansite for Jacqueline McKenzie, who plays Diana. If your interest is caught by this shameless plug, check out http://jacqui(dot)elitefan(dot)net

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Ch 2: That's Not Hannah Montanna

Maia could give or take school these days. At first she had relished the change from her kitchen table and her familliar daily routine. In fact, when they had returned from Spain, she was frankly ecstatic at the prospect of returning to her old class.But lately it seemed that the novelty of meeting other 4400's her age, and learning things tailor made for 4400's, had worn off. She enjoyed school, but she didn't wake up with the same sweet taste of anticiaption of a new school day that she used to have.

She knew, to an extent, that it was also to do with her dreams. She was having that same dream often, two or three times a week. Her mom brushed it off as a nightmare, a phase she was going through. She said there was a difference between Maia having dreams, and Maia having predicitons, and this was a dream. But Maia had a sneaking suspicon that her mom was only saying this outloud to make herself feel better. In the way that a daughter can, Maia knew her Mom was just as unnerved by the eerie dream as Maia was.

And the eerie feeling that stayed with Maia after sleep had left her and the light was on, was heightened everytime she sat in that classroom. She wasn't fearful of the school, exactly, but the comfortable, homey feeling she had first felt in class had been replaced by a cold indifference that one might feel in the DMV or a bank. School now felt less like a priveledge and more like just a way to pass the time untill the next 4400 disaster came to head.

Maia flicked through the channels on the TV. April had been on the phone in Diana's bedroom with some guy in Ohio for the best part of an hour. There was nothing even remotely interesting on. She let the channel surfing rest on the Disney Channel, and with tired eyes tried to follow the story line of Hannah Montanna, who was dressed as a zombie. She couln't seem to focus on anything at the moment. The nights of distrubed sleep were getting to her and she was beginning to be a bit zombieish, herself.

'Maia.'

Maia looked up and around the room to see who had spoken to her. There was no one about.

'Maia, we are ready. They are coming now. You can go back. Come with us, we will take you back.'

Maia whipped around to look at the TV Screen. The show had faded to a greyish foggy background, leaving only the Zombie. Only it didn't look like Hannah anymore, it was nothing more than a greysih shape .

A silhouettte.

'Come, Maia, come with us. You can do just as much good there as you can do here.'

Maia backed away from the screen, shaking her head.

'No...no...' she murmered under her breath.

Suddenly the key sounded in the lock. Maia gave it a fleeting look . Her mom must be home. Thanks god. She would know what to do with this. But when Maia turned back to the TV, Hannah Montanna was once again happily chatting to her friends.

Trembling slightly, Maia moved closer to the door as her mom slipped though and locked it behind her.

'Mommy...something's going on...my dreams...'

But when her mom looked up, she saw that it was not her mom.

'Sarah...!'

Diana looked up, keyes in hand.

'I beg your pardon Maia? What about her?'

Maia started to back away.

'Stay away from me. I won't go with you. It's you, isn't it. It's you that wants to take me back. Well I won't, I won't go with you!!!'

Maia was almost shouting now.

'April!! April! Hurry! It's Sarah, she's back. She want's to take me back. You have to call my mom!!!'

Diana started towards her. 'Maia? What are you talking about? I'm right here, baby.'

Maia continued to back away from 'Sarah,' as April came rushing into the room.

'Maia...what's going on...did you say...' She came to a halt in the living room, shocked by what she was seeing. Diana, a pained look on her face, was trying to approach her daughter, who was now cowering by April.

'Make her go away, Aunt April. Make her leave! She can't take me away, she can't! I want to stay here. I want mom, call her, please!'

April gaped.

'Maia...your mom...she's right there.'

Maia didn't seem to hear her, but continued to stare fearfully at Diana.

'Make Sarah leave, Aunt April! Please!! Help me, you've got to call Mom!!'

Maia was now hysterical, clinging to April and sobbing.

'Maia, Sarah's not here! Everything's okay, you're okay. Your mom's right here.'

Maia turned, aghast, toApril, who's face seemed to blur and darken.

'You're on of them, aren't you. The silhouettes.What have you done with my Aunt?'

Maia started to run towards the door, screaming.

'Help me, please! Mommy! Somone please help me!'

April managed to grab her after only a few steps and shook her lightly.

'Maia! Snap out of it. It's not real.'

Diana hurried to Maia's side, almost in tears herself.

'Maia, it's Mommy. You're okay, baby. Sarah's not here. It's okay, you're safe.'

Maia continued to scream, breathless and choking on her sobs.

April winced. Any minute now the neighbours were going to come running. Abrubtly, she reached out and lightly slapped Maia, who's scream's came to a sudden halt.

Maia looked up, and to her relief Sarah was nowhere in sight. Instead, she could see April, who had a firm grip on her arm, and her mom, tears running down her face.

'Mommy?'

Diana stroked her daughters cheek worridley.

'It's okay, Maia. I'm here.'

Shaking, Maia threw herself into Diana's arms.

Diana held her as tightly as she could, sending a frightened glance at April, who gestured that she had no idea what had just happened, either.

After a while Maia was still, and Diana pulled back slightly to look at her daughter.

'Maia...honey...what happened to you?'

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Chapter 3 coming soon! Now clicky clicky v


	3. Chapter 3

**Beyond The Shadows**

-This takes place after Season 3, but bear in mind we haven't got S3 here yet so I've only seen snatchs in clips that I've come across. So if anything's out of whack, call it artistic license ;)

-Disclaimer: The usual, I really don't own The 4400, or Hannah Montanna. I do own a fansite for Jacqueline McKenzie, who plays Diana. If your interest is caught by this shameless plug, check out http://jacqui(dot)elitefan(dot)net

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Ch 3 : Soccer Moms in SUV'S

Maia slept in her Mom's bed that day. In Spain Maia had figured her Mom's bedroom after lights out was strictly off limits, all though nothing had ever been said. Maia figured it was common sense, really. On some level, she was still unerved that her prediction about Ben and her Mom had been wrong. They had attended a wedding alright... the wedding of Ben's sister, held on a small island in Greece. It wasn't untill Tom had begged Diana to return to NTAC that her mom had assessed just how shallow the relationship had really been, and had returned to Seattle - without Ben.

Tonight, safely snuggled against her mom's back, Maia realised just how much she had missed having free range of her mothers bedroom, and was quite content for it to be back to the two of them for now.

She had no dreams that night, and contentedly relayed the fact to her mother as they lay in the early hours of the morning. Diana, though, was still too shaken by yesterday to be very relieved. She busied herself getting herself ready for work and getting Maia off to school.

It was a balmy summers day, with a warm breeze barely strong enough to nudge Maia's skirt. After kissing her mom goodbye, she had sat in the Centre's garden waiting for Amy to arrive, enjoying the peaceful feeling that came with thinking about nothing in particular. Suddenly she heard the school's bell chime, signalling that class would begin in five minutes. Apparently Amy wasn't coming today. As Maia got up to make her way to class, remnants of her dreams began to float in and intrude on her consciousness.

She stopped a few metres short of the front door of the 4400 Centre, met with an overwhelming desire to be as far a way from this place as she could.

She looked around. There weren't many people about - everyone was going about their business inside the centre.

She considered what she was about to do for a few seconds, and then, with a quick glance behind her, she set off at a jog. Easily slipping past the stoic guards at the gate, who had eyes only for suspicious looking adults entering, she continued down the sidewalk, not sure of where she was headed, but fairly certain it was better than the place she was fleeing. She figured that as long as she was away from her school, then the events of her dream couldn't happen.

Although she spent the day partaking in some of her more favored passtimes, she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt her conscience had bestowed on her. This wasn't like her, she knew, and she was beginning to question the logic of just how safe she was; out in the open with nobody around to protect her.

After trailing through her favorite stores in the city, lunch at the play park, and some quiet reading in a deserted corner of the library, Maia ended her day of truancy sitting on the waterfront, watching the boats and feeding the gulls. It was a beautiful, clear day, and as Maia watched the people going about their business - smartly dressed women lazily sipping coffee outside cafes, fishermen working on their boats, children meandering home from school, she wondered fleetingly what life would be like if she had never been a 4400. Would she be one of those Grandmas, chatting with their daughters outside the cafes? Or holding the baby whilst their older grandchildren ran giddily around the playground?

She shook the notion from her head quickly. She was a 4400, and the journey she had taken was a big part of who she was today. Besides, she wouldnt have met Amy and all her friends at school. And she wouldnt have Diana.

School...friends...kids... there were kids walking home ffrom school.

School was out.

She gathered up her belongings at a great speed, flung her backpack over one shoulder and set off for home like a racehorse. If she wasnt home within 30 minutes of school ending, the babysitter had strict orders to ring her mother imediatly. And then there'd be trouble!

She fled through crowded streets, breathless by the time she glimpsed her apartment building in the distance.

She kept up the pace as best she could, untill she was into the building and safely inside the elevator.

She let herself into the apartment with her key, and collapsed, exhausted onto the couch. After a few moments, she raised her head in response to the silence.

'Mrs Benke?'

She got up and did a short scan of the apartment. The babysitter wasn't here. Maia dropped her bag in her room and returned to the couch. No babysitter meant her mom was coming home early from work, and would never know of Maia's escapades that day. Relieved, she flicked on the TV and lay back, exhausted.

It had been a slow day at the office, and Diana had developed a throbbing ache in her right temple. She left the office early, hoping to beat the after-school traffic and get home to a cold compress and a lie-down.

She rung the babysitter on her cell to tell her not to bother coming over, and headed towards the Centre to pick up Maia. Checking her watch she saw there were still a few minutes before the bell, and as she pulled up at the school a small while later, the first few kids had just started to trickle out of the building. Fanning her self with her day planner, she opted to get out of the stifling hot car and wait outside of it.

10 minutes later, Maia still had not appeared, and there were now only a handful of kids milling around waiting for their rides.

Puzzled, Diana considered the fact that they had simply missed each other, and Maia had gone on home. Just as she was about to get back in the vehicle, she spotted a teacher heading her way.

'Ms. Skouris?'

Diana smiled politely. 'Jean Lowery, right? Hi, how are you.'

'Fine, thankyou. Did you want to talk to me?'

Diana shook her head, bewildered.

'Oh...no I was just waiting for Maia. But she seems to have gone on ahead.'

A shadow crossed the teacher's face,

'Ms. Skouris... I'm sorry to tell you this but Maia... Maia wasn't in school today. I...we presumed she was home sick. There's a cold going around some of the kids...her friend Amy... we just presumed...'

'I'm sorry, you're telling me you haven't seen Maia at all today?'

Diana's stomach started to clench uncomfortably, and she became increasingly aware of the nautious feeling rising up her throat.

The teacher shook her head.

'I'm sorry, Ms. Skouris.'

Diana gaped. She pinched the bridge of her nose and looked once more at the teacher.

'I've got to..I have to go.'

She abrubtly turned and hurried over to the drivers door.

The drive back to her apartment took twice as long as usual, and she grew more and more hysterical as she was stuck in neverending traffic jams of soccer moms in their minivans and SUV's. Scenarious and possibilities flooded through her mind, but for her own sanity she refused to consciously acknowlege them.

When atlast she made it back to the apartment, she took a deep breath and tried to think rationaly. Traveling up in the elevator, she reasoned she would check for Maia in the apartment, then ring Tom, April, everyone she knew that could help her, and they would all go and search.

The apartment door was locked, but Diana refused to consider what it meant. As she shakily closed the door behind her, the noise of the TV took a few moments to register. In a cold sweat, she called out hoarsely.

'Maia?!'

With blinkers on, she focused on the door of Maia's room, optimistically ajar, and hurried towards it, almost choking when she spotted the bookbag, its contents spilling out onto the duvet.

She whirled around, trying to fight the painful hope flooding her chest lest it be crushed.

'Maia?!'

A sleepy head popped up from behind the arm of the couch.

'Hi, Mommy. I didn't hear you come in. I must have fallen asleep.'

Diana closed her eyes and drew a shaky breath, willing herself to pull it together before she approached her daughter.

And then she was hurrying towards her daughter. The sight of her mother in such a state drew Maia abrubtly off the couch.

'Mom...'

Diana grabbed hold of Maia by both shoulders, shaking her slightly.

'Are you alright?! Did somebody hurt you?!'

Maia felt tears spilling over onto her cheeks, as the enormity of what she'd done and the panic she had caused hit her.

'I'm fine. Nobody hurt me, nothing happened.'

'Then where did you go? Why did you do that?! Do you have any idea how upset I was?'

Maia cried harder. 'I know, I know. I'm so sorry, Mom.'

Mother and daughter stared at each other for a moment, each taking in the tears trailing down each others cheeks and the fear in their eyes.

'I'm sorry, Mommy.'

Diana breathed a slow, shaky breath and enveloped her daughter fiercely in her arms. As Maia cried quietly, clinging to her mother, she was hit by a vision.

'Something like this will happen again mommy. But you'll have to fight.'

Diana pulled back slightly to look at the tearful child in her arms.

'Fight for what?'

Maia shivered slightly.

'Me.'

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I promise to try to update more regularly! But trust me, this is one Fan Fic that I am too far in to not to finish!


	4. Chapter 4

**Beyond The Shadows**

-This takes place after Season 3, but bear in mind we haven't got S3 here yet so I've only seen snatchs in clips that I've come across. So if anything's out of whack, call it artistic license ;)

-Disclaimer: The usual, I really don't own The 4400, If I did, we would have heard news about Season 5 already!

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Ch4 : Paper Trails

The sunny, clear skies continued over the next few days, but there was an increasing chill in the air. It was funny weather for this time of year, Diana thought as she drove to work. She had dropped Maia off at school thismorning reluctantly, following the tradition of the last few days. Maia wasn't saying anymore about her visions her dreams, just going to school with a foreboding look on her face similar to that of a child going into the dentists.

She had a weird feeling about her these days. The sort of aprehension one might feel when an important yet ominous event lurks in the near future, and though on one hand you're aprehensive and feeling a bit sick at the thought of it, on the other its a big event and you cant help but have a morbid eagerness to see it begin.

To her chagrin, work was slow that day, a neverending stack of backed up paperwork she had no desire to struggle through. And with the weird feeling hanging over her, slow days were the last thing she wanted to deal with.

Tom popped his head round the door.

'Morning, Diana.'

Diana looked up tiredly.

'Hi Tom.' She picked up a biro and doodled with it on a notepad, trying to get the ink to flow.

'Bit slow this morning huh.'

Diana aimed the uncooperative biro at the trash can and sent it flying. 'You're not kidding.'

'Well enjoy it while it lasts. You know this can only mean the calm before the stiorm, a few more days and you'll wish it was back to paper pushing again.'

Diana rolled her eyes and Tom retreated with a grin.

oooo

Maia was suffering from a similar nagging aprehension to her mother. And it had nothing to do with the fact that there wasnt long to go till lunch.

She tried to focus on the math problems on the board, but they swum lazily infront of her. She was too tired for maths, couldnt be bothered with mundane problems. Most of her waking hours were consumed with trying to think of anything but her dreams - clockwatching untill the school day ended.

She blinked a few times, trying to clear the bluriness at the edge of her vision. She knew she was overtired, but she couldnt seem to shake the foggy surround. Infact, it seemed to be creeping in, closer and closer, and she could hear kids around her starting to murmur in fear.

oooo

Diana had just begun sorting through her pen mug for a promising ballpoint when the office lights seemed to flicker. A split seccond later, sirens began to sound so louldy it was hard to think of anything else apart from the red lights flashing over her head.

Tom reappeared at her door.

'Diana, get in here. Now. You have to see this.'

Diana rushed after him into the main room, and followed the gazes of the 2 dozen or so people gathered around the screens. Her mouth dropped open and several memories came flooding back. She glanced over at Tom, who appeared to be suffering from the same devasting deja vu.

He opened his mouth to speak, but she got there first.

'It's...another comet.'

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I've actually finished the story, so don't worry about slow updates! All I have to do is upload the chapters, maybe tweak a few things if there's any suggestions:D


	5. Chapter 5

**Beyond The Shadows**

-This takes place after Season 3, but bear in mind we haven't got S3 here yet so I've only seen snatchs in clips that I've come across. So if anything's out of whack, call it artistic license ;)

-Disclaimer: The usual, I really don't own The 4400, If I did, we would have heard news about Season 5 already!

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Ch5: Virus Samples

As the fog closed in around her, a cold hard realisation formed a rock in Maia's stomach. This was it. This was her dream. She wanted to cry for her mom, but she knew deep down that her mom couldnt stop this. A sob escaped her. Whatever was coming next; no one could help them now.

ooooo

It must have been the shock, Diana realised later, that caused her bizare reversion to the Diana she'd been in 2003, when the first comet came in. Autopilot or something.

'Its heading for the lake, isnt it.'

Tom nodded mutely, not offering anything further, so she continued, kicking into crisis mode.

'Well we best be gathering a team and heading down there. We're going to need clearence to get the quarantine facilities back in operation right away.'

She stared at the comet on one of the many screens. It was happening all over again.

She shrugged on her NTAC jacket and began to head out to the vehicle bay. Tom grabbed her elbow as she passed.

'Diana...are you okay'

She nodded, zombieish. Tom shook his head, recognizing the signs of shock.

'We need to go, Tom.' She paused. 'I want to see it, I want to see this happen.'

Tom blanched.

'If I didnt know better, I'd say I was talking to the old Agent Skouris, the one I knew in 4 years ago. The one who thought of all 4400s as virus samples.'

Diana just looked at him oddly.

'We've got people to deal with this, Diana. We need to get to the 4400 centre and inform them, tell the school, send everyone home. We dont know whats going to come of this - what this means for the original 4400s.' He bit his lip. 'We need to protect them, too.'

Diana shook off his hand.

'They need us down at the lake.'

Tom shook his head angrily.

'No, they dont! Theres nothing we can do. They'll just round up the new returnees and quarantine them. Then we can try and figure out what the hell is going on. We need to get to the centre. Start figuring out a plan. We need to start thinking of damage contol.'

Diana continued to look unconvinced, and started heading towards the door.

'What about Maia, Di? Have you forgotten about her?'

Diana paused and then looked up at Tom. Suddenly all the events of the past 4 years came flooding back, as though her memory had decided it a good time to remind her just what year she was in. Whatever walls the shock had built in her brain, they suddenly come crashing down.

'Tom? What was I thinking!? We have to get to her. To Maia. How could I have been so stupid. All I could think about was...getting to the lake...what the hell was wrong with me?'

Tom took a deep breath and eyed his partner warily.

'It's okay, Diana. Lets just get moving. We dont have much time before the 4400 are going to become a whole lot more.'

_Maia was in a room.It was cold, dark. Like the bottom of a well. She reached her hands our on either side, but her fingertips met nothing but air. She fel the floor underneath her, but it didn't feel like a floor. I felt as if she was sitting in a cloud, but solid._

_Suddenly the room filled wih smoke. Maia felt uneasiness creeping up her throat._

'_Hello? Mommy?'_

Maia had the queasy feeling of knowing precisely what was going to happen next. She sat back with an uneasy patience, to wait for the shadows.


	6. Chapter 6

**Beyond The Shadows**

-This takes place after Season 3, but bear in mind we haven't got S3 here yet so I've only seen snatchs in clips that I've come across. So if anything's out of whack, call it artistic license ;)

-Disclaimer: The usual, I really don't own The 4400, If I did, we would have heard news about Season 5 already!

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Ch6: Revelations

_When she opened her eyes, the room was suddenly light, almost blinding. She could begin to make out shapes...there were chairs...and...desks. She blinked a few times, but the images didn't change. It was her classroom._

_Maia tried to stand, but couldn' t make her body obey._

'_Amy? Tyler?'_

'_Maia?'_

_Maia looked up, hoping to see a friendly face. But all she could make out was a nondescript silhouete. She couln't even tell if it was male or female._

'_Maia, we are ready. They are coming'_

This time, Maia knew it wasn't a dream. And she knew why this was happening, and what they wanted her to do.

'I'm not going back Sara.'

Sara smiled sadly.

'I should have known you would see this coming. What we would ask of you. That is, of course, your gift.'

'I dont understand. If you dont need us anymore, why are you bringing in more abductees. I know you are not letting us go just to be nice.'

Sara cocked her head slightly.

'You saw the new set of 4400's?'

Maia nodded. 'It's happening right now, isn't it.'

Sara nodded slightly.

'I still dont get it. I don't understand why I can't stay here. I won't leave. I won't go with you.'

Sara considered the young girl infront of her. She wasn't as innocent, as blissfully unaware of her future as when they had first returned her. But still, she had no idea of what had been planned for her... what she could still carry out if only... She bit her lip, considering her words carefully.

'In the future...the people are starting to seccond guess our plan. The want more answers than before. They want to know why it had to be children. They are questioning the humanity of abducting children - they dont believe that what we are trying to do is really for the greater good.'

She started to pace as she continued her story.

'If we are not careful, we could have a serious movement on our hands, one that could make it almost impossible for the 4400 to make a difference. When it leaked that we were planning another set of abductees there was a massive outcry. People wanted to know a lot more than the first time around, wanted more proof that what we were doing was really going to make a difference. They felt like this was only proving societys greatest fear - that humanity's natural compassion is slowly being bred out of us.They were loosing faith.So we made a bargain.'

Sara paused to look directly at Maia.

'No more children. We could only use adults for the experiments. And we had to... to return the children we originally took.'

Maia blanched, not knowing what to make of this.

Sara continued, more desperate to make Maia understand.

'Maia... you can go home now. You wont remember anything.. It will be like you never left.'

Maia was angry now. Out of the corner of her eye she saw bluriness form the shape of numbers. 4400, 4401, 4402, 4403... She was running out of time.

'You still dont get it, do you. By sending us back... all you are doing us is abducting us all over again. I love my parents, and when you first sent mer here, I might have been happy to go back. But not now, I belong here. You can't take me again. That is the furthest thing from compassion.'

Maia could see, in Sara's eyes, that she was starting to comprehend.

'Besides, you dont really believe the 4400 will be better off without us, I know you don't. What a waste of an experiment, right? You don't want me to leave anymore than I do.'

Sara shook her head.

'I dont think.. in the future... they won't see it that way. They won't understand'

Maia stood her ground, desperate. This was her last chance.

'Make them.'

ooooo

As if in slow motion, the car rounded the corner to the 4400 centre. Without a word, she leapt from the car, Tom close on her heels. Both of them propelled by an unspoken sense of urgency. Briefly, Diana turned to make sure Tom was following, and that the back up agents weren't too far behind.

A seccond later, her world fell apart. A huge noise sounded behind her, and she turned back to face the centre.

A beat later, and a huge fireball was seen exploding from the school wing.

ooooo

Next Chapter up soon! Please r & r!


	7. Chapter 7

**Beyond The Shadows**

-This takes place after Season 3, but bear in mind we haven't got S3 here yet so I've only seen snatchs in clips that I've come across. So if anything's out of whack, call it artistic license ;)

-Disclaimer: The usual, I really don't own The 4400, If I did, we would have heard news about Season 5 already!

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Ch7: Breathing Sadness

For a moment, nobody moved, nobody breathed. Not even the birds dared to make a sound.

Then time sped up again.

And Diana was running to the building, barely aware of her own wrenching crys of 'Maia!' And then Tom had her in a firm embrace, preventing her from taking a step further.

She was screaming at him, punching him.

'Let me GO!! MAIA!! Oh God, not Maia. Please not Maia.'

Diana collapsed on the damp concrete, Tom's arms still firmly around her.

'Do something Tom, please we have to do something! Please Tom...please.'

And then she couldnt say anything more, grief and shock over taking every sense in her body, untill the concrete felt like death and all she could breathe was sadness.

She sobbed, her heart heavy, for she didnt know how long. All she knew to do was cry. Big, wracking sobs that strained every muscle in her body.

After a long while, her sobs began to subside into one big numbness. And then, she vaguely heard, as if from far away, Tom's sharp intake of breath.

She followed his disbelieving gaze, and rose with a cry.

'Maia!?'

She blinked. but her daughter was still standing there.

And then, she saw who was holding her back. It was her.

'Sara...please. Please don't hurt her.'

Sara stayed where she was, arms firmly around Maia. She appeared to be considering something, staging an argument with herself inside her head.

Diana took a step forward.

'Please.' She was finding it hard to make her voice work.

'Give her to me.'

It was a whispered sob, but Sara understood full well.

Diana couldnt speak, could only hold her arms out in hope and desperation. She took another step forward, tears trailing down her cheeks. She had no idea what was going on, what had just happened. She only knew that Maia was right there, so close yet so far, and if she could just reach her, hold her, then everything would be okay. She could protect Maia aslong as she had her in her arms.

Diana watched, heart in her throat as Sara bent to whisper something to Maia, and Maia said something incoherent in reply.

A beat later, and then Maia was running towards Diana and Diana was holding her daughter tightly in her arms, and she knew that she was flesh and blood and real. She kissed her over and over, but for once Maia didnt care.She just let Diana hold her, clinging to her mothers NTAC jacket.

'Oh, baby, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I didnt protect you. I'm sorry for whatever Sara put you through.' Maia hung on tightly, her own sobs matching her mothers. Neither of the two being able to find any more words, they clung together in the middle of the driveway, Diana's sobs gradually subsiding in order to comfort her daughter.

After a while, she felt Tom's hand on her shoulder.

'Di... Sara.'

Suddenly remembering, Diana looked up. Sara was gone.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The next chapter will be the last :) Thanks for tuning in!


	8. Chapter 8

**Beyond The Shadows**

-This takes place after Season 3, but bear in mind we haven't got S3 here yet so I've only seen snatchs in clips that I've come across. So if anything's out of whack, call it artistic license ;)

-Disclaimer: The usual, I really don't own The 4400, If I did, we would have heard news about Season 5 already!

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Ch8: The Morning After

_Maia was in a room.It was cold, dark. Like the bottom of a well. She reached her hands our on either side, but her fingertips met nothing but air. She fel the floor underneath her, but it didn't feel like a floor. I felt as if she was sitting in a cloud, but solid._

Maia woke with a start, gasping for breath. She squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them again, proving to herself it was her own bedroom ceiling she could make out above her. She went to roll over, intending to make her way into her mom's room to sleep out the rest of early morning hours. But instead she found herself face to face with her mom, who had aparently fallen asleep on top of the covers. She still had her NTAC gear on.

Maia moved in closer, till the scratchy leather of the NTAC jacket brushed Maia's nose everytime her mom's chest rose with a breath. She closed her eyes, letting herself sucumb to sleep again and hoping the remants of the dream would stay away.

Suddenly she was awoken as her mom's body jerked and a scream of 'Maia!' broke the cool night air.

Maia lifted her head, her eyes bleary, taking in the sight of her mom sitting up, panting slightly, trying to shake off whatever parts of the nightmare remained. Maia knew the feeling.

'Mommy?'

Diana turned to see her daughters face half illuminated by the glow of the sunrise beginning behind the curtains. Relief and realisation made their way across her face.

'I dreamt... I dreamt that... it wasn't a dream, was it. It all happened.'

Maia nodded, rising to wrap her arms around her mother.

Her mom kissed the top of her head, returning the embrace. They sat like that for a while, as the room got lighter and lighter as the sunrise went on.

Finally her mom voiced something Maia knew she would never be able to keep inside.

'They gave you a choice, didn't they. To go back.'

Maia nodded again, her arms a bit tighter around her mother now, knowing she didnt need to say anything, that her mom was fully aware of the choice she had made.

Maia chewed her lip for a moment, then spoke in a whisper, explaining what Sara had told her about sending all the children back.

Diana let it all sink in. 'What did Sara say to you... yesterday before she let you go.'

Maia took a breath. 'She asked... she asked if I was sure this was what I really wanted. I said more than anything.'

Diana stroked her daughters back patiently, knowing that Maia wasn't done yet, and that even being a precog, she had more questions than answers.

'Then, just before she let me go, she said that she knew I was different, that I was special, and that I could still make a difference.'

Unnamed thoughts ran through Diana's head, thoughts about just what the future might hold.

Diana bend to kiss Maia's forehead, two, three times, and enveloped her in a bear hug.

'No matter how hard things get for you Maia, I will never, ever let you go. I will fight for you, I will do whatever it takes. Remember that, okay.'

Maia sniffed and nodded. The two sat there for a while longer, basking in the sliver of sunlight that now filtered through a crack in the curtains. Questions drifted through their heads, possibilities and tired solutions.

'Do you think we'll ever truly know, Maia. Why all this happened, what it's all leading to. Will we ever see the grand design?'

Maia considered this for a moment, drinking in the peacefulness of the early morning.

She smiled.

'It's what keeps us going. Wanting to know what's over the next hill.Even if we know we will never find all the answers... we have to keep on asking the questions.'

The End


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